Pocket sheath for fountain pens



3, 1933- D. H. TALT POCKET SHEATH FOR FOUNTAIN FENS Filed Aug. 22, 1930 l L i.

@ illllllll INVENTOR D. H. TaLt BY @fi .QJM

ATTO R N EY Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to fountain pens, and

particularly to such pens as are adaptedto be carried in the coat or vest pocket of the owner when not in use. The invention also particularly relates to a closure or protector for the point of the pen and is intended to add to the convenience in the use of a fountain pen, especially by those who have frequent but intermittent need for the use of their pen.

Such pocket pens, as is well known, are commonly provided with screw or slip caps to protect the point, which must be removed every time the pen is used and engaged with the opposite end of the pen; the operations being reversed whenever the pen is to be returned to the pocket.

When the pen is used frequently these operations consume considerable time in the aggregate and they always require the services of both hands to efiect.

My invention is particularly intended to be used in connection with a protector or sheath for the point of a pen of this character which does away with the necessity of the present cap and which permanently remains in the pocket though of course removable therefrom whenever desired. The pen when withdrawn from the sheath therefore is ready to use without further manipulation, and. the same hand which is used to hold the pen in writing is the only one necessary in connection with placing or moving the pen with respect to the sheath.

The main objects of the invention are to construct the sheath so that the pen is frictionally gripped when inserted, thus avoiding the possibility of the pen dropping out when the wearer leans over; to construct the sheath so that the likelihood of the pen point dragging against the sides of the sheath when inserted is minimized, thus preventing, any ink from the point being transferred to the barrel of the pen'when the latter is fully depressed in the sheath; and to provide a replaceable point wiping and sealing device in the sheath.

A further object of the invention is to produce ence indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective outline of a coat pocket the line 3- 3 or Fig. 2.

showing my sheath positioned therein and a pen the sheath." I Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the sheath particularlyin section. i

Fig. 3 is 'a'vertical section of the sheath on Fig.4 is across-section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 13. .j-

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the sheath comprises a tubular member 1, closed on the'bottom and provided at the top and back with an upstanding and relatively Wide or flaring flange or apron 2. The top of the sheath at the front is provided'with a clip for engagement with the front upper edge of a pocket 3. This clip is shown as being a lip 4 which is integral with the sheath and is turned outwardly and downwardly from the top edge of the same. The material of which the sheath is made is resilient so that the material of the pocket when projected between the sheath and the lip is frictionally engaged and the sheath removably held against undesired displacement. In hot weather however the lip may lose its resiliency to a certain extent, and it is therefore preferably reinforced by a spring metal strip 4a, whose lower end projects through the lip as shown so as to engage the fabric of the pocket and aid in holding the sheath against displacement.

The length of the sheath is somewhat less and its bore somewhat greater, than the barrel 5 of an ordinary fountain pen with which the sheath is intended to cooperate and said pen is adapted to be projected into the sheath with its point or nib 6 facing down. Fitted in the sheath toward its lower end is a soft rubber cylinder 7, having an inwardly projecting and relatively deep band 8 formed integral therewith intermediate its ends. This band is adapted to closely engage the face of the nib 6 in the plane of the ink dispensing hole thereof, so as to form a closure for this hole and prevent the possible dropping of ink with the vibration due to the wearers movements, or to expansion from heat. Above the band, a ring 9 of absorbent material, such as felt, is mounted in the cylinder, so that any ink on the outside of the nib will be wiped therefrom as the pen is withdrawn from the sheath. 105 The upper end of the cylinder forms a stop shoulder for engagement with the bottom of the pen-barrel, so that possible contact of the point of the nib with the bottom of the sheath is prevented. no

The frictional engagement of the band 8 with the nib is usually sufficient to hold the pen snugly in the sheath, but if desired, the sheath may be provided with a strip 10 intermediate its ends to frictionally engage the barrel. This strip is formed integral with the sheath by cutting the same through so that the strip is connected only at the top to the sheath, while its lower edge projects inwardly of the bore of the sheath, as plainly shown in Fig. 3. This strip is at the front or back of the sheath rather than either .side, since the pen when inserted by a natural movement of the hand after writing is disposed so that its point faces to the right or left of the body of the user (depending on whether the writer is right or left handed), and said strip therefore is out of the way of the point and will not engage and catch against the same when the pen is being depressed into place in the sheath.

To avoid the likelihood of the pen-point engaging the side of the sheath when being inserted therein and thus transferring ink to the interior surface of the sheath, which in turn would be transferred to the barrel of the pen, said sheath is formed with interior grooves 11 extending down the sides from the top as far as necessary. The depth of these grooves relative to the normal diameter of the sheath is such that when the pen is initially inserted into the sheath at a slight angle, there is no danger of the point of the pen touching the bottom of the groove and ink the same; or if it does there is no danger of such ink being smeared onto the barrel, which of course cannot contact with the bottom of the groove.

The upper back apron 2 provides an initial guide for the pen-point, preventingthe same possibly catching in the fabric of the garment behind the pocket rather than entering the sheath. With this apron the necessity for exercising extreme care in inserting the pin into the sheath is unnecessary.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sheath for fountain pens, the combination with a tube having a closed end, a separate soft rubber cylinder fitted in the tube, and an inwardly projecting and relatively thick continuous band formed integral with the cylinder intermediate its ends and adapted to engage the nib of a pen inserted in the tube and close the ink feed opening therein; the top of the cylinder forming a stop for the adjacent end of the pen barrel.

2. In a sheath for fountain pens, the combination with a tube having a closed end, a separate soft rubber cylinder removably fitted in the tube, and an inwardly projecting and relatively thick band formed integral with the cylinder intermediate its end and adapted to engage the nib of a pen inserted in the tube and close the ink feed opening therein, anda separate band of absorbent material mounted in the cylinder above the band.

3. In a sheath for fountain pens, the combination with a tube having a rounding closed end, a soft rubber cylinder removably fitted in the tube adjacent and engaging the rounding portion of such closed end, an inwardly projecting and relatively thick band formed integral with the cylinder intermediate its ends and adapted to closely engage the nib of a pen inserted in the tube.

4. A protector and support for a fountain pen comprising a vertical sheath closed on the bottom and adapted to freely engage the barrel of the 

